CATABOLISM OF FATTY ACIDS Flashcards
(84 cards)
What are fatty acids?
They are fuel molecules
What are fatty acids stored as?
They are stored as triacylglycerols
What are triacylglycerols?
They are uncharged esters of fatty acids with glycerol
How and when can fatty acids generate energy?
Fattu acids are oxidised during fasting and heavy energy to gernneate energy
What is the conversion of triacylglycerols to fatty acids known as?
Lipolysis
Where are triacylglycerols converted to fatty acids?
triacylglycerols stored in the adipose tissues are hydrolysde
What are triacylglycerols brocken down into?
4 Constituent parts:
- Glycerol
- 3 Fatty acids
What is eta break down of triacylglycerols dependent on?
Hormones
Name the hormones that drive the breakdown of triacylglycerols into glycerol
Insulin and glucagon
What happens to the glycerol that is Broken down from triacylglycerols
It is converted into Dihydroxyacetone
Phosphate (DHAP)
Why is DHAP important?
It is a Glycolytic intermediate and a Gluconeogenic intermediate
What happens to the fatty acids produced by the breakdown of triacylglycerols
They are capris by albumin to the liver or muscles to be beta oxidised
What happens to the free fatty acid concentration when we exercise?
It increases
Name the hormones that initiate the release of fatty acids into the blood
Adrenaline
Glucagon
Are fatty acids highly oxidised or reduced?
They are highly reduced
Give an overview of beta oxidation
- As fatty acids are highly reduced they are oxidised by NAD+ and FAD
- They are then metabolised to acetyl CoA
- Acetyl CoA is oxidised by NAD+ and FAD in the citric acid cycle
- NADH and FADH2 Carry electron to the electron transport chain to power ATP production
Where does beta oxidation take place?
In the mitochondria
Why does beta oxidation take place in the mitochondria?
So that acetyl CoA can easily fee into the citric acid cycle and NADH/FADH2 can easily move into eh electron transport chain
Can we rely on fatty acids as a sole fuel source? Why?
No as in the citric acid cycle we need Oxaloacetate to combine with acetyl CoA to form citrate
Fatty acids don’t produce Oxaloacetate so the citric acid cycle would stop
How are fatty acids activated?
- Fatty acids joins with CoA to form Acetyl CoA with the help of Acyl CoA
synthetase - This reaction costs ATP
- Acyl CoA then diffuses into the mitochondrial matrix
What does acyl CoA synthase do?
It joins CoA and fatty acids to form acyl CoA
Where does acyl CoA need to go after entering the mitochondrial membrane?
Into the mitochondrial
What difficulties does acyl CoA face when trying to enter the mitochondrial matrix
It is charges and the mitochondrial matrix membrane is relatively impermeable
How does acyl CoA enter the mitochondrial matrix ?
- Acyl CoA combines with Carnitine to form Acylcarnitine + CoA
- This reaction is aided by Carnitine Acyltransferase I
- Acylcarnitine then passes through the inner membrane via Acyl carnitine
translocase - Acylcarnitine is then broken down by the enzyme Carnitine Acyltransferase II to form Acyl CoA +Carnitine
- Carnitine then diffuses out through the inner membrane to again reattach to acyl CoA